Most modern utility poles are manufactured of hollow metal and carry electrical wiring within their interior lumen. These poles are primarily electric light poles, but also can involve other types of wiring. The proper installation and maintenance of these utility poles typically requires that an access port be provided near the ground level of the pole to provide access to electrical connections just inside of the access port. The access port is typically provided with a cover of approximately the same size as the port and screws to hold the port in place. The cover is essential to prevent unauthorized access through the port to prevent vandalism of the electrical connections within the port and also to prevent accidental injury as a result of unauthorized access.
Among the many difficulties with the conventional door-plate type of portal closure is that there is no standardization of the door sizes. As a result, there is a large number of different sizes and shapes of portals and the doors that correspond with them. Furthermore, because of the very hostile environment in which the utility poles exist, the normal screw fasteners which are used to hold the doors in place are frequently removed by vandals or lost while the authorized personnel are maintaining the poles. It is frequently necessary to replace the proper size screws with improper sizes and also to replace the lost portal closures with improperly sized closures. In addition, over a period of time, screw and bolts oxidize and become frozen to the shield and must be sheared off by authorized personnel for servicing. When this occurs, the shield is simply secured in place by tape which can be removed easily by vandals. Finally, because of all these problems and inconveniences, it is frequently the case that the portal is left open (intentionally, or accidentally) which provides an access to potentially dangerous electric current.
Thus, one serious problem which existed in prior art portal closures is the means for fastening the door over the portal. The normal system of using screws is both inconvenient, inefficient, and potentially dangerous.
The second priority concerning the prior art portal closures is that the numerous sizes of portals, and therefore closures, creates serious inefficiencies and problems.
These and other difficulties experienced with the prior art devices have been obviated in a novel manner by the present invention.
It is, therefore, a principle object of the invention to provide a utility pole cover system which provides a reliable, efficient, and vandal-resistant method of reversibly sealing the access port on a utility pole.
Another object of this invention is the provision of a utility pole portal cover system which provides a reliable and highly visible system for locking the access door over the access port.
A further object of the present invention is the provision of a utility pole access port door which is of generally universal application to all of the various sizes of access ports particularly found in utility poles.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a utility pole access port door which has a distinctive look and which, therefore, is less likely to become lost than traditional access port doors.
A still further object of the invention is the provision of a utility pole access port door which provides a long life of useful service with a minimum of maintenance.
With these and other object in view, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the invention resides in the combination of parts set forth in the specification and covered by the claims appended hereto.